Interfaith harmony: Sikhs in Peshawar arrange Iftar

PESHAWAR: In a bid to promote interfaith harmony, the Sikh community is arranging Iftar at various places in the provincial capital where the Muslims are served with food.

The Sikh community had arranged Iftar for labourers, passersby and shopkeepers in Ramazan last year as well.

Though the Sikhs have yet to obtain a no-objection certificate for security reasons from the departments concerned to arrange Iftar, they have come up with another way to do the noble job.

They are arranging Iftar dinners for the people at various localities in the provincial capital with the help of the local charity organisations.

The hosts welcome the people with a smile and serve them with fruit, cooked food and cold drinks.

Apart from young and old men, the Sikh children can be seen serving the Muslim guests with food.

“We hosted Iftar for 29 days during Ramazan last year. We held Iftar dastarkhwan at three different places in Peshawar, Mardan and other districts,” Baba Gurpal Singh, a leader of the Sikhs, told The News.

He continued that last year they had arranged Iftar at different hospitals, orphanages, schools for physically challenged people and the Central Prison Peshawar.

This year, the Sikh community members have hosted Iftar in Gulbahar and at the Lady Reading Hospital.

“The food items are purchased, cooked and prepared by the Muslims,” added Gurpal Singh. Many have lauded the gesture shown by the Sikh community.

“This is the love the locals have for each other,” said one Ihsanullah, a resident of inner Peshawar city.

He said the Sikhs and Muslims have lived peacefully in Peshawar for years.

A local lawyer Khurshid Khan visited the worship places of Sikhs in the past to clean their shoes in a bid to promote interfaith harmony.

A number of people arrange roadside Iftar in Peshawar and other places all over the country where passers-by, labourers and other people break the fast.

Many young men have arranged Iftar in inner city, Hayatabad, University Road, Saddar Bazaar, Bara Road, Kohat Road, Charsadda Road, Grand Trunk Road and other places where thousands of people are provided food and drinks.